The invention relates, generally, to pinball games and, more particularly, to an improved play feature for such games.
Pinball games typically consist of an inclined playfield supporting a plurality of play features such as targets, bumpers, ramps and the like. The player activates flippers mounted on the playfield to direct a ferromagnetic ball at desired play features thereby to score points and control play of the game.
As will be appreciated, the popularity of a manufacturer's line of pinball games depends on its ability to attract players to its games. To attract players, it is necessary for game designers to continuously create new and exciting play features. One type of play feature includes mechanisms for automatically moving the ball during game play. One such mechanism is disclosed in Krutsch, U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,748, consisting of a vertically disposed playfield having a magnet driven by a screw for moving the ball from the inclined playfield to the vertical playfield.
Thus, a new play feature for a pinball game is desired.